Danish researchers will improve cancer patients' appetite with fish oil

Pharma Nord provides researchers from Copenhagen University of fish oil and placebo capsules for use in a new study. The study will reveal whether fish oil can be used to stimulate appetite in cancer patients who are at risk of underweight. At first the theory is tested in healthy subjects.

Many serious diseases like cancer or AIDS causes cachexia, a life-threatening condition with significant weight loss. The term cachexia is derived from the two Greek words: Kakos and hexis, which means bad condition. Cachexia is not caused by reduced caloric intake, but is the result of a complex pathologic process not yet fully understood.

Now, researchers from LIFE, Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen with help from Pharma Nord will investigate whether fish oil supplementation may benefit cancer patients suffering from cachexia. Initially it will be healthy people who for a period will get either fish oil- or placebo capsules both supplied by Pharma Nord.

The aim of the experiment is to investigate whether the appetite in the participants are affected by a daily intake of fish oil from Bio-Marin Plus in a dose providing approx. 2g/day of the fatty acid EPA, which is the dose used in several other cachexia trials. Once the trial is completed, researchers will use the results as a basis for further research with cancer patients.

Source:

Pharma Nord Research Department